If you build most of your cabinets, furniture, and flooring yourself, then you’re probably familiar with most of the more popular materials used. Traditional materials are usually the easiest to get your hands on, and thus the most used, but the overuse of these materials can leave your house looking plain and boring. There are plenty of alternative materials out there that will spruce up the interior of your home.

Building furniture is mostly done using lumber picked up at a local lumber store. The wood found here is usually generic looking. You can still use wood to build your furniture without having it look plain. The solution is exotic hardwoods. As the name implies, these woods are more rare and exotic looking than traditional lumber. If you look, exotic hardwood is not hard to find. It may have a bit steeper of a price than other wood, but the elegance it will bring to your home can be worth the cost.

An alternative for flooring as well as counter-tops is stained concrete. Concrete and elegance might seem an odd pair, but this is no ordinary concrete. The concrete goes through a process called acid-staining. The acid eats away at the concrete, creating unique patterns and colors. The concrete is then coated with a sealer, leaving a glossy finish. Topping off a home-made desk with stained concrete is like topping off an ice cream sundae with a cherry. A beautiful, unique cherry.

Cork is another material that is alternative, but very versatile. Many people picture cork boards when they hear the cork mentioned, but the cork used in homes is much more dense, and looks lovely. This cork is especially resistant to sharp objects, and is perfect for a work bench or counter-top.

Variety is the spice of life, so spice up your home with various materials rather than using the same materials incessantly. Your house will look all the more elegant from it.